Chuck Pagano knows he already has the best defense in football under his guidance. So worrying about talent really isn’t the issue at this point. However, he also knows that it’s important to look towards the future in the NFL. Players can come and go so fast and developing young men for down the road is the vital key to sustained success.
This is something he’s learned over a long career, especially during his time with the Baltimore Ravens. One of the things that franchise has done that make them so good at sustaining defense over the years is their ability to turn late round picks and undrafted free agents into quality contributors. Guys like Zach Orr, Albert McClellan, and Ma’ake Kemoeatu are some examples.
So during his appearance at the Bears 100th anniversary celebration, he was part of a panel that included every coordinator. That was when he got asked a notable question. Who among the current class of undrafted players have impressed the most. He gave two names.
Chuck Pagano singling out Betts and Harris should excite fans
Pass rush depth is a key issue for a lot of people following this defense. The fact that Pagano chose two of their young edge additions as standouts is a welcome sign. Especially when both don’t just look like typical undrafted players. Chuck Harris comes from Buffalo, the same college that produced Khalil Mack. He had 6.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss in his senior year. A span of 11 games that were hampered by injury.
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Betts? He was a phenomenon up in Canada. A quick, athletic, and relentless pass rusher who piled up 33.5 sacks in college. His program of Laval won two national championships in three years and his career ended with being chosen as the #1 overall prospect in the 2019 CFL draft class. Still, he had greater ambitions. He tried out at the East-West Shrine Game a few months ago, catching the attention of several teams.
Thanks to a few lucky breaks, the Bears were able to get him.
Suddenly they have two under-the-radar athletes who are better than their undrafted status might indicate. Pagano is known for being adept at developing pass rushers. Given the uncertainty at outside linebacker after this year, those two might play a key role in the near future. It will be fun to see what happens when the pads go on in training camp.
